By Keith Sharp
Another year has gone by but Canada’s music scene is still being dominated by the new establishment.
The 2017 Juno Awards nominations, announced Tuesday at Toronto’s Rebel Nightclub featured five nominations for Drake, The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes, four nominations for Alessia Cara, fresh off her stint performing last Saturday on Saturday Night Live and even the late Leonard Cohen received four nominations.
The 46th annual Juno Awards, to be staged Sunday April 2nd in Ottawa will feature live performances by Cara, rappers A Tribe Called Red and alt folk group The Strumbellas plus a tribute to Sarah McLachlan who will be inducted into Canada’s Music Hall Of Fame. Crooner Michael Buble is scheduled to be the event host but has put his career on hold due to the illness of his son Noah who is currently battling cancer.
Buble cancelled similar hosting duties at the recent Brit Awards but he said in a statement that Noah is progressing well so event organizers are hopeful that the Vancouver native will still put in a scheduled appearance.
Gord Downie, lead singer for The Tragically Hip, who has been stricken with a terminal brain tumour has been recognized with nominations for Songwriter, Adult Alternative Album and Best Video while his band are also up for Group Of The Year and Rock Album of The Year Plaudits.
The Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award goes to Bell Media’s Randy Lennox while Buffy Ste-Marie will be honored with Allan Waters’ Humanitarian Award.
A full list of nominations is included below:
JUNO Fan Choice Award
Presented by TD
Hedley
Justin Bieber
Drake
Shawn Mendes
Alessia Cara
Belly
Ruth B
The Weeknd
Tory Lanez
The Strumbellas
Single of the Year
Treat You Better
Shawn Mendes
One Dance ft. Wizkid & Kyla
Drake
Wild Things
Alessia Cara
Starboy ft. Daft Punk
The Weeknd
Spirits
The Strumbellas
International Album of the Year
Sponsored by IDLA Associated Label Distribution
This is Acting
Sia
ANTI
Rihanna
Made in the A.M.
One Direction
A Head Full of Dreams
Coldplay
Dangerous Woman
Ariana Grande
Album of the Year
Sponsored by Music Canada
Starboy
The Weeknd
Illuminate
Shawn Mendes
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Views
Drake
Encore un Soir
Céline Dion
Artist of the Year
Shawn Mendes
Drake
Alessia Cara
Leonard Cohen
The Weeknd
Group of the Year
Billy Talent
The Tragically Hip
Arkells
Tegan and Sara
The Strumbellas
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Sponsored by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, and Radio Starmaker Fund
KAYTRANADA
Ruth B
Tory Lanez
Andy Shauf
Jazz Cartier
Breakthrough Group of the Year
Sponsored by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, and Radio Starmaker Fund
Bleeker
Cold Creek County
Bob Moses
The Zolas
The Dirty Nil
Songwriter of the Year
Presented by SOCAN
“Leaving Nashville” – co-songwriter Abe Stoklasa THE DRIVER – Charles Kelly Capitol*Universal “What Kind of Love is That” – co-songwriter Tom Douglas, “They Don’t Make Anything in That Town” HARD SETTLE, AIN’T TROUBLED – Donovan Woods
Donovan Woods
“Boyfriend” – co-songwriter Greg Kurstin, “100x” – co-songwriter Jesse Shatkin, “Stop Desire” LOVE YOU TO DEATH – Tegan and Sara
Tegan Quin and Sara Quin
“The Stranger”, The Only Place To Be”, “Son” SECRET PATH – Gord Downie
Gord Downie
“You Want It Darker”, It Seemed the Better Way”, “Traveling Light” YOU WANT IT DARKER – Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
“Lost Boy”, “Superficial Love”, “2 Poor Kids” THE INTRO – Ruth B
Ruth Berhe
Country Album of the Year
The Score
Aaron Pritchett
Hearts on Fire
Chad Brownlee
Side Effects
Dallas Smith
Tin Roof
Gord Bamford
Kiss Me Quiet
Jess Moskaluke
Adult Alternative Album of the Year
Good Advice
Basia Bulat
Secret Path
Gord Downie
The Great Detachment
Wintersleep
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
The Party
Andy Shauf
Alternative Album of the Year
Sponsored by Long & McQuade
Touch
July Talk
Art Angels
Grimes
IV
Black Mountain
Weaves
Weaves
Sore
Dilly Dally
Pop Album of the Year
Sponsored by TD
Know-It-All
Alessia Cara
Summerland
Coleman Hell
Astoria
Marianas Trench
Illuminate
Shawn Mendes
Love You to Death
Tegan and Sara
Rock Album of the Year
Morning Report
Arkells
Afraid of Heights
Billy Talent
Sittin’ Heavy
Monster Truck
TerraForm
Sam Roberts Band
Man Machine Poem
The Tragically Hip
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
Quiet Nights
Matt Dusk & Florence K
You’ll Never Know
Heather Bambrick
I’m Still Learning
Barbra Lica
Bria
Bria Skonberg
Words
Amanda Tosoff
Jazz Album of the Year: Solo
Blue Canvas
Brandi Disterheft
Written in the Rocks
Renee Rosnes
Momentum
Shirantha Beddage
Superconductor
Seamus Blake
Nudging Forever
Mike Janzen
Jazz Album of the Year: Group
sponsored by Stingray Music
Real Enemies
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
One Way Up
Dave Young Quintet
Twenty
Metalwood
Flux
Quinsin Nachoff’s FLUX
Sweet Canadiana
Order of Canada Band
Instrumental Album of the Year
The Ridge
Sarah Neufeld
Flow
David Braid
Movements 1
Blitz//Berlin
Bird’s Nest
The Fretless
Everyone Knows Everyone
Pugs & Crows and Tony Wilson
Francophone Album of the Year
Trente
Karim Ouellet
Le fantastique des astres
Yann Perreau
Ultramarr
Fred Fortin
Love Suprême
Koriass
XO
Laurence Nerbonne
Children’s Album of the Year
I Believe in Little Things
Diana Panton
Owl Singalong
Raffi
Big Yellow Tunes
Splash‘N Boots
De Tombouctou à Bombay
Kattam
Wordplay
Will Stroet
Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble
Schubert: Sonatas and Impromptus
Janina Fialkowska
Overtures to Bach
Matt Haimovitz
Brahms: String Quartets, Op. 51 NOS. 1 & 2
New Orford String Quartet
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, OP. 71 TH14
Stewart Goodyear
Beethoven, Enescu & Chopin: Works for Piano (Live)
Charles Richard-Hamelin
Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir
Poulenc: Piano Concertos & Aubade
Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier, BBC Philharmonic
Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation
Steve Wood and the Northern Cree Singers, Tanya Tagaq, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Schumann
Jan Lisiecki, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Vivaldi: Concertos
Les Violons du Roy & Mathieu Lussier
Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance
L’Aiglon
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Kent Nagano
Dark Star Requiem
Tapestry Opera, Gryphon Trio, Elmer Iseler Singers
Handel Messiah
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Sir Andrew Davis
Bach: Magnificat BWV 243
Arion Baroque Orchestre, Alexandre Weimann
Four Thousand Winter
Daniel Taylor, The Trinity Choir
Classical Composition of the Year
Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation
Christos Hatzis
The Debrecen Passion
Kati Agócs
Immersion
Jordan Nobles
And I need a room to receive five thousand people with raised glasses…or…what a glorious day, the birds are singing “halleluia”
Ana Sokolović
Dark Star Requiem
Andrew Staniland
Rap Recording of the Year
Another Day in Paradise
Belly
Views
Drake
I Told You
Tory Lanez
Hotel Paranoia
Jazz Cartier
Die Every Day
Tasha the Amazon
Dance Recording of the Year
Limitless ft. Delaney Jane
Adventure Club
Northern Lights
Zeds Dead
Let You Get Away ft. Ashe
Shaun Frank
Off the Ground ft. Shae Jacobs
Bit Funk
You Can’t Deny
Jacques Greene
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Starboy
The Weeknd
Sept. 5th
Dvsn
Pilgrim’s Paradise
Daniel Caesar
Soul Run
Tanika Charles
PARTYNEXTDOOR 3
PARTYNEXTDOOR
Reggae Recording of the Year
Sorry
Ammoye
Cry Every Day
Blessed
Roll ‘Dem ft. Gappy Ranks
Dubmatix
Siren
Exco Levi
Who Feels It Knows
Jay Kartier
Indigenous Music Album of the Year
Sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Fish Out Of Water
Crystal Shawanda
Round Dance & Beats (Powwow)
Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie
Tiny Hands
Quantum Tangle
Debut
Silla + Rise
Earthly Days
William Prince
Contemporary Roots Album of the Year
(sponsored by National Arts Centre)
The Family Album
Matthew Barber & Jill Barber
Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
Lisa LeBlanc
Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams
Corin Raymond
Earthly Days
William Prince
Strange Country
Kacy & Clayton
Traditional Roots Album of the Year
Someday the Heart Will Trouble the Mind
The High Bar Gang
Gathering
Maria Dunn
The Original
Jenny Whiteley
Auprès du poêle
Ten Strings And A Goat Skin
Secret Victory
The East Pointers
Blues Album of the Year
The Northern South Vol. 1
Whitehorse
Ride The One
Paul Reddick
Rich in Love
Colin Linden
Blue Highways
Colin James
Monkey Brain
Sean Pinchin
Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Eternally Grateful
Warren Dean Flandez
Hootenanny!
Tim Neufeld & the Glory Boys
Where the Good Way Lies
Steve Bell
Reborn
MANAFEST
Potter & Clay
Jaylene Johnson
World Music Album of the Year
Sponsored by Canada Council for the Arts
Nouvelle Journée
Lorraine Klaasen
Subcontinental Drift
Sultans of String
Okavango African Orchestra
Okavango African Orchestra
Nazar
Turkwaz
Dance of the Infidels
Nomadica
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year
“Work” (Co-producer Charlotte Day Wilson) CDW – Charlotte Day Wilson, “High Five” (Co-producer Dan Kurtz) ROYAL BLUES – Dragonette
Howie Beck
“The Enforcer” (Co-producer Monster Truck) SITTIN’ HEAVY – Monster Truck, “Fever” DEALBREAKER – Royal Tusk
Eric Ratz
“R.E.D. ft. Yasiin Bey, Narcy & Black Bear”, “Sila ft. Tanya Tagaq” WE ARE THE HALLUCI NATION – A Tribe Called Red
A Tribe Called Red
“One Dance”, “Too Good” VIEWS – Drake
Nineteen85
“Afraid of Heights”, “Rabbit Down the Hole” AFRAID OF HEIGHTS – Billy Talent
Ian D’Sa
Recording Engineer of the Year
“Afraid of Heights” AFRAID OF HEIGHTS – Billy Talent Warner, “Don’t Tell Me How to Live” SITTIN’ HEAVY – Monster Truck
Eric Ratz
“Treat You Better”, “Don’t Be A Fool” ILLUMINATE – Shawn Mendes
George Seara
“The Magician”, “To You” THE PARTY – Andy Shauf
Andy Shauf
“Shine A Light” BANNERS EP – BANNERS, “Armageddon” ARMAGEDDON – Michelle Treacy
Matty Green
“Push + Pull”, “Beck + Call” TOUCH – July Talk
Jason Dufour
Recording Package of the Year
OOBOPOPOP – Valaire
Karim Charlebois-Zariffa (Art Director, Designer), Olivier Charland (Illustrator), Scottie Cameron (Photographer)
L’HEPTADE – Harmonium
John Wellman, Chris Sheppard, Joshua Geary (Art Directors)
SECRET PATH – Gord Downie
Jonathan Shedletzky (Art Director), Isis Essery (Designer), Jeff Lemaire (Illustrator)
LIVE AT COPPS – Alexisonfire
Justin Ellsworth (Art Director, Designer), Dustin Rabin (Photographer)
ART ANGELS – Grimes
Claire Boucher (Art Director, Designer, Illustrator), Rankin (Photographer)
Video of the Year
Sponsored by MuchFACT, exclusively funded by Bell Media
Kill v Maim – GRIMES
Claire Boucher
Lite Spots – KAYTRANADA
Martin C. Pariseau
R.E.D. ft. Yasiin Bey, Narcy & Black Bear – A Tribe Called Red
Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman
Killa – WIWEK/SKRILLEX
Jodeb
The Stranger – Gord Downie
Justin Stephenson
Electronic Album of the Year
99.9%
KAYTRANADA
Congrats
Holy Fuck
We Are the Halluci Nation
A Tribe Called Red
Days Gone By
Bob Moses
Checkpoint Titanium
Harrison
Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year
Transcendence
Devin Townsend Project
Pacific Myth
Protest the Hero
Beast
Despised Icon
Suicide Society
Annihilator
Coral Throne
Mandroid Echostar
Adult Contemporary Album of the Year
Encore un soir
Céline Dion
Hard Sail
Chantal Kreviazuk
Beating Heart
Mark Masri
Wonderland
Sarah McLachlan
A Fine Line
Heather Rankin